


Cupcakes to Eat and Someone to Love

by drowranger



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-29
Updated: 2015-10-29
Packaged: 2018-04-28 18:30:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5101238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drowranger/pseuds/drowranger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Oikawa sucks at asking someone out and he compensates (wrongly) by stuffing himself with cupcakes...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cupcakes to Eat and Someone to Love

 

If Oikawa Tooru’s life is one of those popular, cheesy, Korean dramas, it will probably be rated one out of five stars by netizens ( _a zero out of ten, according to his dearest friend, Iwaizumi, but that guy’s opinion doesn’t matter_ ). The reason is that, he's not even a single step closer in to achieving his dream 'sugar and fluff love life' ( _and that he is a pathetic creep who knows nothing but to stalk on a poor guy, courtesy of Iwaizumi, and then again, his opinions do not matter_ ). He sighs, sadly, and laments on how all he can do, is spend his Friday lunch breaks talking to a bunch of friends who never really understand the depth of his heart’s desires. 

“Of course, no one will ever be able to understand a creep’s black heart. I mean, we’ve done all we can to discourage him and help the poor guy whom he had set his eyes on, but Oikawa's unbelievably dedicated so we can only pray for his victim's soul,” he heard Iwaizumi telling the new guy, Kindaichi, who's sitting in front of them and is busy fussing over his school notes. “Oh, what’s that? Math assignment? Let me see, maybe I can help you," he added.

Oikawa snaps out of his sad ‘reverie’ and stands up to yell at his best friend. “Don’t just ignore me like that! Besides, Iwa-chan, you barely passed our Calculus class two years ago!” 

“Yup, see? You just have to derive this formula from the previous equation then you can arrive at the answer. And Oikawa, it was you who barely passed. So, let's get to the next unknown-” 

“I said,” Oikawa yells again, “don’t ignore me you ungrateful people! And I even let you eat all those cupcakes I bought from _that_ bake shop and you treat me this way? Why you--” 

“ _Senpai,_ ” Kindaichi interrupts him without looking up from his notes, “why don’t you just ask him out if you like him that much?” 

“It’s not my fault that he's not noticing my advances!” He plops back to his seat, slumps over the table then buries his head into his arms. “I think I’m going to cry,” he adds. 

“That’s nothing new. Go ahead and be your usual self, Oikawa- _san_. No one's stopping you.” Matsukawa joins them at their table. “It's better to do it now while the shop’s still empty. It'll be troublesome if you suddenly break down in to a sob fest later on, while you’re manning the counter. Hanamaki might kick you out for good.”

“I hate you all. I’m going to quit this job and move to Bahamas. I hope they don’t have mean people out there,” he cries out. 

“Want a cupcake?” Oikawa hears Kindaichi offering the half empty box of confectionery sweets to Matsukawa. 

“Oh,” Matsukawa muses, “so it’s still the cupcake that greets us. When are we going to meet these cupcakes’ creator?” 

“Try never," replies Iwaizumi. 

Oikawa stops his fake sniffs and jolts upright. “Go away, you mean people!” 

“What, I was just telling him the truth.” 

“Shut up, you!” he snaps. 

“Well, if you want to prove me otherwise, can we meet the poor guy whom you’ve been stalking then? Also, is he into guys even?” 

Oikawa slumps back on the table. “Oh my god,” is his muffled answer. “Please stop jinxing my love life.” 

“What love life?” Kindaichi asks sounding so nonchalant that Oikawa doesn't even feel insulted. 

Oikawa can only groan miserably. “Please, shut up?” 

 

If Oikawa’s life is a Korean drama, he will lose half of the viewers even before the half mark of the first episode. Because what's going on in his life is not easy to understand. And for it to make sense, there needs to be a flashback on why he is forever slumped on a table during his Friday lunch breaks while his friends ( _if they are his friends even_ ) take turns in making fun of him.

It started that day as he was on his way to the coffee shop to cover a shift for Iwaizumi, who had a test, when he passed by the old, boarded up shop a block away from his destination. A container van was parked in front of it and a couple of teenagers were taking out cans of paints and boxes of cleaning materials. Being the unnaturally curious guy that he was, he greeted the workers and asked what was going on. 

“Someone’s moving here, and they’re setting up a family business, I think.” One of the teenagers answered. 

Oikawa shrugged and waved goodbye. He walked to work and wondered what he should eat for dinner, the old shop already tucked away in the very back of his mind, overtaken by food choices.

By the next week, the old shop was newly painted in swirls of light pink and baby blue. It had a handmade sign hung over one of the glass windows – _Refreshing Bakery_  . “What a crappy name,” Oikawa had said. He kept on walking as he pondered on the tragic naming sense of some people and wondered why they were even allowed to exist. But he did wish for the shop to do well and reminded himself to give it a try if he managed to have some free time. He thought that maybe he even could get a discount if he frequent the store long enough to get along with the owners. A new addition to their sleepy neighborhood didn't sound too bad, after all, since he liked meeting and talking to people.

 

It was one of those lazy afternoons, as he was again covering for Iwaizumi, when he fate it seemed, wanted to remind him about the new bakeshop. He was by himself, feeling utterly bored as he leaned on the tiled counter to stretch his back muscles, when the tinkle of the glass door chimes permeated the shop, announcing the arrival of a customer. And that was when he saw him; a beautiful stranger. If Oikawa’s life was a Korean drama, a choir of angels would no doubt be singing in the background as the earth’s rotation went in to slow motion and a lovely breeze blew romantic autumn leaves and fragrant rose petals past them.

The stranger's dyed, silver hair was a beautiful complement to his fair skin. The beauty mark just underneath the corner of his left eye was absolute perfection and his smile – how should he even start to describe it? His reluctant, polite smile could hold a candle even to the brightest of the stars. When he cleared his throat and said ‘hi’, tilting his head a little bit to his right, part of his collarbone was exposed from his loose, beige cardigan and Oikawa’s mouth went dry. 

“Uh, excuse me?” The stranger was already standing in front of the register and seemed to have decided what he wanted to order. 

Oikawa, for once in his life, was at loss for words. Those subtle, pick up lines that girls found funny ( _while his friends found it despicable_ ) were tangled int incoherent ink blots that made him feel nervous and awkward. He was a proud social butterfly and every conversation with a friend, an acquaintance or a stranger, was always mapped out in his mind. Words are fickle and his maps weren't accurate ( _especially with his friends who probably exists to ruin his upcoming Linguistics degree_ ), but he had never sailed uncharted waters. Nervous and awkward never appeared in his book of like until now. 

A small cough from someone made him remember where he was, and what he should be doing. “Oh. Yes, hi! Yes, how can I help you?” 

The customer smiled. “One latte to go, please.” And the angel choir was back, probably accompanied by the heaven orchestra this time.

Oikawa nodded and did his best to keep a straight face. He was reluctant to take his eyes off the stranger, but he had to carefully measure the coffee shots. So out of desperation that he didn’t knew he had, the question suddenly came out of his mouth.

“So, I haven’t seen you around. Is this your first time here?” 

The beautiful man looked surprised. “Uh… yes.”

Oikawa gave him the best smile he could muster, but he almost faltered when the guy looked unaffected. Uncharted and enchanted waters -- that was where he was. He was often told that his smile was beautiful ( _disgusting,_ _according to his dear friends, but they were just bitter because he often got all the girls_ ). Whenever he smiled, either girls swooned or he would get a response at least, if the other party was not interested. Even Iwa- _chan_ and the others reacted whenever he used his 'dazzling smile' at them, and he would get beaten up for it.  

“Do you go to the university?” he asked, instead, still trying to wrap his head around what happened. _Maybe I showed too much teeth_ , he thought to himself.

“No… not yet. I will, though, once our family’s bakeshop's opened. It’s just down the street, a block from here.” 

He would’ve started asking more questions, but the latte was done too soon and then a bill was handed to him and he was giving out the change. Then the silver angel was heading towards the door before he could pull out the classic trick of offering to show him around since he was new there.

“Bye! See you around then,” Oikawa called out, barely concealing the truth that he was feeling frantic. The stranger turned to him and gave a small wave before going down the granite steps outside the shop. He disappeared with the soft thud of the closing door.

If he was in a romantic drama, soft piano rolls would have joined the gentle tinkling of the glass chimes. A subtle, golden light would surround him and downy feathers from giggling cherubs would be blown around the room as the director would try hard to depict that Oikawa just met the love of his life, but it was not the right moment so melancholy would be his life's theme for the time being.

What happened instead was Iwaizumi and Kindaichi walking inside and finding him daydreaming and it may be a tad embarrassing, especially since he was smiling and humming David Pomeranz' Got to Believe in Magic. ( _“Nothing new. But really, I didn't know he knew David Pomeranz.” Matsukawa said when he was told about it. As for Hanamaki, he threatened Oikawa to better not do it when customers are around or he won't be receiving his pay for the month._ ) 

 

If Oikawa’s life is a Korean drama, maybe people will watch it, but it will be for the comedy, not the romance part. 

“ _Senpai_ , how long has the bakery been open now?” Kindaichi asks. The kid has a penchant for asking questions that digs graves for Oikawa and he isn't sure if Kindaichi is doing it on purpose. But then, Oikawa knows the answer very well. 

“Four months and three days.” 

“And how many times have you been there?” 

Oikawa narrows his eyes suspiciously at his _kouhai_. He knows the answer to that as well, but Kindaichi’s and Iwaizumi’s expression are suspiciously blank and saying the answer out loud will definitely make them laugh at him. Again. And he has had enough with their bullying. 

“Twenty-nine boxes. That's twenty nine times. Nine boxes were bought when _that_ guy wasn’t there,” Matsukawa yells from the other end of the room where he is wiping tables. 

“How—how did you know that?” Oikawa asks indignantly. 

“Those nine times, it was you who ate all those cupcakes. You refused to share. There are six cupcakes in one box, and you ate everything. I know you're trying to go on a diet,” Matsukawa answers. 

Oikawa can only groan and slump ( _again_ ) on the table. 

Iwaizumi whistles. “Damn. I have to say that that was extreme, even for you.” 

“Please leave me alone,” Oikawa begs. 

“So, what do you do when you go there? Pine after him across the counter?” Kindaichi asks again. 

“Stop, please.” 

“Do you stand there, and compliment him on his choice of apron?” Matsukawa pats his head as he walks past their table. 

“Or his choice of corn flour and fresh farm eggs for the muffins?” Iwaizumi adds. 

“I hate you. I’m quitting this job and I’m flying to Hawaii.” 

“It was Indonesia before, wasn’t it?” remarks Kindaichi. 

Iwaizumi shrugs. “No, I think it was Alaska."

 

If Oikawa’s life was a Korean drama, it would definitely be taken off air before the fifth episode. Because the first sign that the plot was finally moving, was when he was finally able to gather enough courage to enter the bakeshop to catch a glimpse of the _love of his life_. He was met with a bright "Welcome!" by none other than his silver haired angel but unsurprisingly, what happened next was him randomly grabbing a box from the shelf nearest the cash register ( _only to find out later on, that they were bitter, cocoa flavored cupcakes_ ). He stammered out a “Thanks!” and then nearly ran into a stack of decorative plastic cakes before he finally managed to walk out of the door. But he didn't forgot how adorable his angel looked in his white uniform and black with orange trimings apron. Then it took him until the fourth time to gain a little more confidence. 

“What’s your name?” he suddenly blurted out while his item ( _blueberry cupcakes this time_ ) are checked in. The guy looked up, confusion written on his beautiful face. 

“Hm?” 

“I, uh, I told my friends about you and this shop and they were asking why I don’t know your name…” 

Oikawa could feel his cheeks heating up and even if he was a hundred and eighty centimeters tall, he felt like the the smaller one under the guy’s gently scrutinizing gaze. 

“Oh.” 

“Y-yeah.” Oikawa laughed awkwardly. 

“That’s three point seventy five.” 

Oikawa gave him the payment and wondered if anyone would notice if he would slap himself. 

 _His_ angel smiled at him when he handed back the change. “I’m Sugawara Koushi. People usually call me Suga. Sorry, my name tag haven't arrive yet so...” 

Sugawara Koushi. Suga. _Sugar_. There was no name in the world more appropriately given than this one. Just like the sweet taste of refined, powdery sugar, Sugawara- _kun_ ’s name left a saccharine taste in his mouth every time he enunciated it. He spent the rest of the day at work, spacing out, randomly blurting out ‘Suga- _san_ ’ and an occasional 'Suga- _chan_ ', then sighing deeply. He felt like he couldn’t ask for more in his current life, even if his co-workers started avoiding him and their Hanamaki had to assign him to dish-washing duties because he kept on messing up the customers' requests. 

 

The fifth time he went to the bakeshop, Sugawara recognized him. 

“Oh, hello, Oikawa-san!” 

Oikawa nearly broke into tears. “Y-you know my name!” he exclaimed. 

Sugawara smiled and pointed at the name tag pinned on the breast pocket Oikawa’s uniform and, _of course_. He glanced down at the _stupid_ violet, printed letters of his name and felt a sense of betrayal.

“Oh… right.” 

 

 

After three months and roughly a hundred and ten dollars, Oikawa finds himself, once more, slumped on a table with Iwaizumi beside him and Kindaichi and Matsukawa across them. He watches as his friends stuff themselves with the strawberry cupcakes which are Friday’s specials. He prefers blueberries, but those are Wednesday specials, or the chocolate and vanilla Thursday specials and he stops thinking because he really shouldn’t know these kind of things well. 

“I’m going to confess!” he says as he suddenly sits upright. “I’m going to confess. I’m going to confess. I’m going to confess.” 

Matsukawa glances at him briefly. “What’s gotten into him?” 

“He’s reading one of those books about improving self-confidence. He thinks it’s going to help him.” 

“Well, _senpai’s_ problem is not his self confidence,” says Kindaichi. 

“I know right,” Matsukawa agrees, “He's an idiot, that's his problem.” 

“Stop!” Oikawa yells and holds out his hand. “Stop with the negativity, please.”

Then he resumes his chanting. “I’m going to confess. I’m going to confess…” 

“State your resolve a hundred times,” Iwaizumi reads off the book lying open in front of Oikawa, “and you will have the instant confidence to do whatever it is that you are afraid to do so.” 

Matsukawa sighs. “And he believes in that?” 

“Leave me alone! I’m going to confess. I’m going to confess. I’m going to--“ 

Oikawa stops and glares at Matsukawa. “You made me lost count!” 

Matsukawa sighs again. “Alright, fine, we’ll help you, if you promise to stop embarrassing us.” 

“What!? No, I don’t want your help. I don’t need it.” Oikawa snatches back the book from Iwaizumi. “I will do just fine on my own, thank you.” 

“Yes, you’re well on your way to making a fool out of yourself,” Iwaizumi tells him then he turns to Matsukawa. “And who says you can say ‘we’? 

“Isn’t it about time for you guys to get bored of this?” Matsukawa asks, using his bored expression as an emphasis. 

“Stop talking like I’m not here!” Oikawa tells them loudly.

Kindaichi closes his notebook and starts gathering his pens and work books. Oikawa doesn't like his curious expression and he likes it less, where the conversation is heading.

“Well, now that Matsukawa- _senpai_ mentioned it…” 

“Hey! Are you listening!?” Oikawa bangs his fist on the table. 

“Why not, he’s getting too pathetic to be funny anyway,” Iwaizumi replies and simply dodges the crumpled paper that Oikawa lobs at him. 

 

And that is how the  _Operation: How to Get your Girl/ Man_ commences. Matsukawa declares himself as the team captain despite Oikawa’s fervent protests and unheard declarations of ' _leave me alone!_ '. 

“You’ve never even had a girlfriend!” Oikawa makes a mistake in saying. Kindaichi takes pity on him about five minutes later and proceeds to pull Matsukawa’s hands off Oikawa’s neck. 

"What would you know about  _my_  problem, it's not like you guys know anything about being gay!"

“ _Senpai_ ,” Kindaichi calls him with sincerity that is so different from his usual flat tone of voice, “we know girls flock around you, but we also know that you’re not even an inch close in getting  _your man_ so why don’t you let us help you just this once?” 

 Oikawa is touched. He tears up and tries to hug Kindaichi ( _who manages to keep him away with his outstretched right foot_ ).

 

The next day, Matsukawa is the last to take his lunch break and as he sits down, he slams a piece of bond paper on the table. Matsukawa’s hand writing is hard to decipher but Oikawa manages to read the line at the top. 

 _Number 1, knowing his name_ ****

“Sugawara Koushi.” 

The trio turns to look at Oikawa with raised eyebrows. 

“That’s his name, I –uh, I asked him three months ago.” 

“Rea~lly?” Iwaizumi asks, stretching out the first syllable to emphasize his disbelief. 

“Maybe he saw it on his name tag or something.” Kindaichi shrugs as he sips on his milkshake. 

Oikawa sniffs indignantly. “You are totally underestimating my ability.” 

Iwaizumi nods at him. “Oh, you mean your stalking ability? Oikawa, you do know that stalking is a criminal offense, right?" 

Oikawa stands up and points a finger at his best friend. “I am not stalking him! I-” 

Matsukawa interrupts him. “Yeah, yeah. Okay, if you know his name already, look at the next number.” 

_Number 2, getting his number and asking him out (tasks interchangeable)_

It was only then that Oikawa notices that the list stops at number two. The following items are semi-insults; parodies of advice that pokes fun at him the Matsukawa way. Hanamaki might've had a hand in in too, but since he's their boss, and he can be really, really mean, Oikawa chooses to keep his mouth shut.

 _Stop being a wimp_ , reads number three. Number fours tells him to _fucking man up for once._ He stops reading because as funny as it may sound, he’s heard all of them before. A little different each time, but from Iwa- _chan_ , Matsukawa and Hanamaki. And they’re not really helpful. 

“That's it?” 

“Uh-huh.” 

Iwaizumi shrugs when Oikawa looks at him for help.

“I don’t have any intention to associate myself with this kind of things.” 

He moves his gaze to his the youngest in their group. “Kindaichi?” 

Kindaichi gives Oikawa a clueless look. “I don’t have anything to do with that.” 

Oikawa looks back at Matsukawa who looks too pleased with himself. “And do tell me, how this is going to help?” 

Matsukawa frowns. “I underestimate your idiocy, but I don’t think there is a simpler way to re-word those instructions.” 

“ _Argh_!” Oikawa screams in exasperation. He sits down and buries his head in hands. “I knew it. I should’ve booked that flight to Zimbabwe!” 

“On what continent is that place located?” Kindaichi asks, his tone genuinely curious. 

 

 

If Oikawa’s life is a Korean drama, he will be demoted to a side character by the sixth episode, if it is still airing, and the drama will then be re-titled to: _Cupcakes, cupcakes, cupcakes! (And the occasional cake)_

“Whoa, whose birthday is it?” Kindaichi looks at the enormous box of cake on the counter. 

Oikawa, who is feeling a little snarky, simply glares at Kindaichi. Then he goes back to mumbling to himself as he looks at the box in front of him.

Kindaichi doesn't seem to care that Oikawa just ignored him.

“Oh, by the way, _senpai_ , this is my classmate, Kunimi Akira. He just transferred here. And since class ended early today and he lives around here, I thought that we can use the corner booth to study before I take my shift.” 

“Hello!” He hears Kindaichi’s classmate greeting him, but Oikawa refuses to look back. He hears Kindaichi apologizing to his classmate on his behalf.

“I can’t believe someone will actually get that.” He hears the guy talking as they are walking away from.

“What?” asks Kindaichi. 

“That huge cake. My brother has this crazy idea that our bakeshop should give a reward to customers who managed to buy every cupcake flavour available in our shop and man, there are like a hundred flavours in there—“ 

Oikawa gets over his bad mood upon hearing the guy ( _Kunimi was it?_ ) talking about brothers and cupcakes. 

“Wait!” Oikawa calls out. “You own the bakeshop in the next block?” 

Kindaichi and Kunimi whips around to look at him, both are startled by his loud voice. 

“Uh… I guess. My family owns it so…” 

“Your brother, what’s his name?” 

Kunimi looks puzzled. “Huh?” 

“Your brother is the silver-haired guy who kinda looks like an angel when he’s smiling, right?” 

“Y-yeah… I don’t know about the angel part, but he did dye his hair silver…” 

Kindaichi looks alarmed when Oikawa walks toward them with an abnormally bright smile. “I… think we’ll just study here next time. Come on Kunimi, I’ll walk you to the main road.” 

Oikawa looks over Kunimi, momentarily noting that his angel looks so different from Kindaichi's classmate, but immediately dismissing the information as he thinks of how to turn the current situation to his advantage.

“Nonsense! What are you saying Kindaichi- _kun_ , it’s your first time bringing any of your friends here. Go on, take your seats. I’ll serve you tea, it'll be on the house, and I’ll also give you some of the cake over there!” 

“Uh, no thanks… I was the taste tester when my brother was making it so I’ll pass. It's his first original recipe so I hope you'll like it.” 

“Really?! I'll be enjoying it to the fullest then!” Oikawa brightens up at that information. His sense of propriety aside, he runs to the box of cake, lifts it with both arms and hugs it as if it is his most treasured possession. He hears Kindaichi telling his new friend to 'ignore him, he's just a weirdo'. He usually protests when his  _kouhai_ calls him names, but he's feeling too elated to care.

 

Three hours later, Oikawa is happily eating his fourth slice of chocolate cake, deliberately ignoring Matsukawa and Iwaizumi who are alternating between trying to help Kindaichi with another of his homework and poking fun at Oikawa. They're just mostly bothering the younger guy and making fun of the questions, but Kindaichi has probably gotten too used to them to the point that it doesn't bother him anymore.

“Alright, I’ll take the bait. What are you so happy about?” Iwaizui asks him. 

Oikawa hums happily. “Nothing!” he replies. 

“He met one of my classmates and it turns out that he is the brother of the guy _senpai_ is currently stalking.” Kindaichi tells them.

“By the way, Kunimi- that’s my classmate’s name- said that he was weirded-out by Oikawa- _senpai_ before he went home.” 

Oikawa gives out a terrified shriek after hearing that. “Oh god! Don't tell me I jeopardized my first impression with my future brother in law!> What should I do! Kindaichi, it’s your fault for bringing him here!” 

Kindaichi looks bewildered. “Huh? Weren’t you just happy meeting him a while ago? And besides, how should I know that they were brothers?” 

Matsukawa plucks the last cupcake from the box, vanilla set this time, and carefully peels the cover off. “I take back whatever I said about helping you out. I just realized that our cupcake supply will disappear if you manage to succeed. Thirty-second box, huh. How long have you been going there again?” 

Oikawa throws the empty box at him. “Four fucking months and ten days. Now, leave me alone.” 

Iwaizumi protests when the box falls on him, spreading crumbs on his t-shirt. “Don’t say bad words. The kid can hear it.” 

"But seriously, Oikawa- _senpai_ ,” Kindaichi says, while he highlights another sentence on his workbook, “what is so hard in asking someone out?” 

They're briefly interrupted by Hanamaki who came to join them just as Matsukawa's and Iwaizumi's break time is over.

"Yeah, well," Iwaizumi says as he stands up, dusting off sugar frosting from his uniform, "the problem with this idiot is not the the context of the difficulty in asking someone out. It's just that he thinks too much with a brain that he never had so here he is, a bigger idiot than he ever was."

Hanamaki laughed as he waves off Iwaizumi to get back to work. "That's a nice way to put it. Never heard that one before. You should totally do a paper on how much of an idiot can Oikawa get. That'll definitely be interesting."

“I’m flying to Alaska! I've had enough of you guys.” Oikawa's declaration comes out muffled as he buries his face in his hands in frustration. 

“You’ve been there already.” Kindaichi informs him. “Try Greenland if you like less people and plenty of ice.”

Hanamaki looks at Oikawa with a raised eyebrow. "And you used to be so proud of your social skills and what did you call it, ah, eloquence, wasn't it. Whatever did happen to you?"

"Oh god, don't ask." Matsukawa tries to warn their boss as he stands up to follow Iwaizumi to the counter, but Oikawa's already recovered and he's moaning and sighing like a forlorn romantic. 

"True love. It happened."

"I told you not to ask." Matsukawa lets out an exasperated sigh before fleeing the scene while Oikawa goes on rambling about his love, pure and true, for his one and only angel.

 

 

If Oikawa’s life is still the typical, clichéd Korean drama, the script writers will take pity on him at this point. They will probably insert a  _deus-ex-machina_  to help him with his misery ( _and cowardice and idiocy, says Iwaizumi, but as usual, Oikawa disregards his opinions_ ). Or more likely, the viewers will already be tired and frustrated of how the drama keeps going on, so any type of development, as long as the show moves towards the finish line, will be okay with them.

 

The next time Kunimi comes into the shop, Oikawa's already too embarrassed to face him so he stays hidden below the counter. Kindaichi has accidentally stepped on him countless of times, but he stubbornly refuses to move out. It’s been four excruciating days since the last time he paid a visit to the _Refreshing Bakeshop._ Three days and twenty two hours to be exact, and should really stop counting his days base on his visits to the shop, but if feels like years. 

It’s painful to not see Suga- _san_ ’s face this long, and he really doesn’t want to miss blueberry Wednesdays, but his embarrassment, and fear of rejection, takes over him every  time he tries to pass by the bake shop. And because of that he's been forced to take a different route whenever he comes to work for the past few days. What if Kunimi has mentioned him to his brother and Suga thinks that he’s creepy? He can almost see the wary expression on Suga's angelic face and it breaks his heart. As much as he is confident, he can also be easily hurt, that's why the nightmare trio ( _it's an old nickname he came up for Iwaizumi, Hanamaki and Matsukawa_ ) has been leaving him alone recently. He sighs and makes a face when Kindaichi ducks to check on him before walking away, probably to serve a customer.

“Oikawa- _san_ ,” an unfamiliar voice calls out to him. He looks up and finds Kunimi looking down, from over the counter. Oikawa immediately pulls back,  startled and then embarrassed at being found out, accidentally hitting his head against the concrete wall. 

“Ow!” 

Kindaichi walks back and only spares him a glance, not the least worried, while Kunimi mutters an apology. 

Oikawa stands up and leans against the wall. “Hi, Kunimi, right?” he greets with his signature smile as an attempt to cover up for his clumsiness ( _and idiocy, he can almost hear Iwaizumi telling that to him_ ). “Yeah, hi…” 

“About my brother—“ 

“Ha-hah! Don’t you think it’s too hot in here? So kids, I’m just outside, getting fresh air if you need me!” Oikawa tries to get out, but Kindaichi blocks him and refuses to move. 

Kunimi looks at Kindaichi then to Oikawa. “Okay… Well, I just heard from Kindaichi about you, wanting to ask my brother out—“ 

Oikawa wants to cover his ears. In his mind, he repeatedly plays Beethoven's Fur Elise in D Minor in hopes of trying to drone out Kunimi’s voice. But he can't do anything about the unwelcome scenarios playing out in his imagination. One is that; Kunimi is here to tell him to leave his brother off. Another would be; Suga found out that he likes him and he sent Kunimi to say no. The second one hurts. He doesn’t think his heart and psyche can handle the rejection, yet. Even if it comes from Suga'sbrother. 

“—and he asked me to help you.” 

It takes him about a minute to properly understand the words and it jolts him back to the present. He stares at Kunimi who remains expressionless. 

"What did you just say?" he asked in a careful tone.

“It wouldn’t hurt if my brother will have other things to do, aside from school and baking. I’m sort of worried that he’ll get old and die alone so I guess, helping him to find a date wouldn’t be so bad.” 

"Um, I think I'm tired because I'm hearing things so let me go out first to clear my head and we can talk again later, yeah?"

Kindaichi grips his shoulder shard and forces him to face Kunimi. " _Senpai_ , I didn't know you're this lame, but since you're a good guy, this is me trying to help you, okay?"

Kunimi still wears no expression as he continues talking. "How do I explain this one? You see, my brother's not interested in women. Well, actually, I'm not sure if he likes men, so this will be a good opportunity to test it. And I figured, if this is going to happen, I might as well let him try and go out with someone who really likes him."

Oikawa can only blink in response. It still isn't making sense to him. Him, self-proclaimed social butterfly and certified charmer, but in reality, just another awkward, young adult who tries to get by with his looks and and hard earned linguistic skills - he must've done something right in his past life if the heavens are trying to help him. And he thought that maybe, this miracle is just something being loaned to him only for the payment to be collected later on while he's at ease. He'd rather not involve himself then. His heart is too fragile for those sort of things.

"I told him about the cupcakes." Kindaichi tells him as if it explains everything. With the way Kunimi's face twitch just for a split second, it probably did, though Oikawa still stands by his suspicions that something is definitely not right. He should consult with his trusty nightmare trio before taking any step further. 

 

 

If Oikawa is starring in a Korean drama then, the viewers will be throwing stinky eggs and rotten tomatoes around the net for reviews, yelling ‘ _What?’_ and ‘ _How?’_   in bold and capitalized texts as they took apart everything about the show and the main character without a hint of mercy. The saving grace will probably the interesting Kunimi who steps in at the last moment, during the second to the last episode, as the producer's last ray of hope in at least trying to have one positive review for the entire show. Then the audience will settle down in a short while and they will realize that the writers, the producers and the sponsors ( _if there’s any_ ) may have gotten tired of the main character’s shit and decided that the sooner they give him his ‘happy’ ending, the sooner they can take the drama off its airing time. 

 

 

At nine thirty, in the evening of that very same day Oikawa was cornered by Kindaichi and Kunimi, he hesitantly stands there under a malfunctioning streetlamp across the brightly lit bakeshop. Behind him, hiding in the bushes, are Kunimi, Kindaichi, Iwaizumi and Matsukawa half whispering and half yelling at him to, _“fucking go because the shop is closing, you idiot!_ ” But that’s probably Matsukawa, because he is the only one who yells those kinds of things. Thankfully, Hanamaki is busy with his accounting so he wasn't able to tag along.

Kunimi has already given him questionable instructions a while ago. They weren't different from Matsukawa's list before, but at least, they aren't as vague.

_Ask him out for breakfast._

_Give him flowers._

Now, the stage is set and all he has to do is to ask him out. As simple as that. He makes a mental note to thank everyone who helped him since he's the type of person to never get any important things done if no one is shoving him to. Oikawa knows that he can be a selfish person, and to expect for Suga to like him this soon is part of that selfishness, but he is willing to be the patient, selfless and kind type of person if that’s what it will take for Sugawara Koushi to _fall_ for him. He bravely crosses the street. He takes in a deep breath and pushes the glass door open. The sound of the tin, door chimes are as familiar to him as the tinkle of glass from the coffee shop where he has been working for two years. 

 

 

Kunimi watches Oikawa as he crosses the street. The bushes are a bit irritating, but he tries to ignore it while Iwaizumi and Matsukawakeep on moving, brushing off the leaves and swearing at everything that touches them. 

“ _Senpai,_ please stop moving, people will see us.” Kindaichi, who's crouching beside him, sighs in exasperation. 

“These damn bushes,” Matsukawa says through gritted teeth, “by the way Kunimi, are you really okay with your brother dating Oikawa? Maybe Kindaichi didn’t tell you enough about him. Even though I, myself, don't know where to start if I'm going to introduce Oikawa Tooru to anyone.”

He nonchalantly slaps a mosquito buzzing near his neck.

“The truth is, " Kunimi starts, "my brotherthinks that mornings are hell. His mother, well, I guess my stepmother, has to drag him out for breakfast every day. Also, he hates flower bouquets because for him, flowers aren't grown just to be cut off by the stems to fulfill people's misplaced sense of aesthetics. I forgot to mention to Oikawa- _san_ it would be better to bring a potted plant.” 

A stretch of silence follows his statement. 

“I didn’t know that you're step brothers,” Kindaichi speaks after a minute. 

Matsukawa steps out of the bush, frowning. “Are you kidding me? He just told us that he set Oikawa up and that was all you had to say?”  

“His family name is Sugawara. I’m Kunimi Akira, I thought you’d figure that out.” Kunimi raises an eyebrow at Kindaichi. 

Iwaizumi shrugs. “Well, we never knew what your brother’s name is, until now. Oikawa is surprisingly secretive about that, you know.” 

"Well, they haven't yet entered my dad's family register so I guess it's easily mistakable even if you knew my brother's name."

Matsukawa forcible pulls the three of them out to the side walk and assumes an aggressive stance with his right hand on his hip. "Let us go over it again. So, our Kindaichi here asks you for help. But did you just lie to Oikawa so that he'll screw up and your brother will end up disliking him? You can't do that to our pet, you know?"

Kunimi feels three pair of eyes boring into him and he sighs in defeat. “Don’t worry, my brother likes him too. I think. He did always like strange things and I guess it gets carried over if ever he'll like someone. And he’s been asking me to visit your coffee shop and find out if Oikawa’s still working there because he hasn't been coming in to buy cupcakes these past four days.” 

Matsukawa and Iwaizumi exchange meaningful looks and since he just met them, Kunimi can't decipher anything. He's torn between running away because they might just be thugs who'll beat him up for deceiving their friend, and staying to satisfy his curiosity about this whole Oikawa incident. He was never one to get curious about people he doesn't know. He chooses to get along with Kindaichi because he's the same as him - doesn't talk much, keeps a low key profile and finds it bothersome to talk to people. Kindaichi starts talking about his seniors in the coffee shop where he works part time and Kunimi's interest is piqued. He already knew that those seniors are strange, but a certain Oikawa seems to be the most interesting one. Then the bake shop was mentioned and Oikawa's crush on one of the workers there. Kunimi connected the dots easily, especially since his brother won't also shut up about the coffee shop and a good looking staff,  so he asks if Kindaichi can introduce him to Oikawa. And now here he is, surrounded by the strangest people he has met so far. One moment they're all talking about how lame Oikawa is and how annoying he gets, and the next, they are suddenly worried and too protective of him.

Kindaichi chooses that time to disrupt the awkward silence.  "I guess your brother has weird taste. In men, I mean, if he indeed likes Oikawa- _senpai_."

“You know what,” Matsukawa says after getting over his initial confusion, “I think you’re interpreting things wrong, Kindaichi. I mean, he just told us his brother likes Oikawa and here you are, simply telling us that his brother has a weird taste in men?”

Kindaichi scratches the back of his head before replying. “I just think it will be sad that I’m not going to hear Oikawa _senpai_ talking about buying plane tickets now. Shame, I learned more from him than my Geography elective.”

Matsukawa sighs in surrender. “I hope you know you’re not making any sense.”

“Nothing's making sense here." Kunimi answers. He should've figured out earlier that Kindaichi associating with such people also means that he's normal. His beloved step brother will probably fit in very well with this group.

 

So... if Oikawa’s life is still running as a romantic Korean drama, there will be a subtle, yet, pleasantly suspenseful music as he enters the cozy bakeshop. There will also be sparkles in the air as he inhales the warm, sweet smell of cinnamon and vanilla mixed with a hint of tropical fruits. Then, he will look around in slow motion until his gaze lands on the most perfect creature he'd ever set his eyes on.

But what happens, is that Oikawa finds Suga and a pretty, middle aged woman taking baked goods off the display table and shelves. He felt oddly uncomfortable as he steps in, knowing that the door chimes shifted their attention to him. 

“Oikawa- _san_ , hi! We’re about to close, but come in. Today’s specials are sold out, but I think we still have a box of blueberries left over that corner.” 

“Uh…” Oikawa likes to think that this is the second time in his life that he is at loss for words, but remembering those other times he’d been to this shop, he thinks this is roughly the twenty third time ( _because those other times, the shop was being manned by other staff_ ). 

“Not up for blueberries?” 

“The chocolate and strawberry are in the fridge room, but I can get a box for you if you'd prefer them.” The woman says as she passes by him to take a shallow crate of French bread to the backroom. 

Suga waves him in to the room, without losing his beautiful smile. Even when Oikawa nearly bums into an empty shelf. “That’s my mom.” 

Curse words run through Oikawa’s mind and it's not surprising him that the voices inside his head resembles Matsukawa’s and Hanamaki's. He's gotten too used to his friends vulgarity. He takes back his previous assumption that a divine force is helping him. It's just probably the fates making fun of him. Instead of something good, he probably did something terrible in his past life and he's paying for it now. He slumps his shoulder and decides to take the last blue berries box. His friends and Kunimi did went out of their ways to help him, but how can he ask someone out for the first time right in front of his mother? 

Oikawa sighs and makes way for the counter. Suga passes by and asks him to wait for just for a minute because his hands are full with a stack of empty trays that he carefully arranges on top of a table but he goes on, happily chattering about the days sales. Despite his emotions in turmoil, Oikawa eagerly listens. 

"Lately, you weren't coming to buy. Don't tell me you're getting your cupcake fix somewhere else?" The question startles him, though he knew that Suga asked it as a joke. 

He's not one to use excuses and he's too tired to be embarrassed so he blurts out the first thing that comes to mind. “No it's just that I...uh - I wanted to tell you something today.” 

Suga moves on to the next shelf, stocked with banana muffins. “What is it?” he asks without even glancing at him. 

Then Oikawa realizes that this is probably the worst time for him to be doing these kinds of things. “N-nevermind. Anyway, do you need help with that?” 

“Not really. Come on, you just said you have something to tell me. Don't leave me hanging.” 

Oikawa bites his lower lip for a few seconds before deciding that he might as well give it a try. If it works out fine, then he’ll probably be the happiest man in this region and if not, then a plane ticket to the Maldives will be a great idea. 

“I… will you have lunch with me tomorrow?” He asks in one breath. His question hangs precariously over the warm air and it feels like a number of eternities have passed before Suga turns to to face him. 

“Oh,” Suga smiles and Oikawa feels like his chest is going to burst from anticipation. Surprisingly, he doesn't feel like bolting away, unlike every time he plays a simulation of him asking Suga out for a date. His heart beats are deafening, but he's confident that he looks calm on the outside.

“Sure, it’ll be my pleasure.” 

There’s an odd flush to Suga’s cheeks which pleasantly surprises Oikawa. He wants to jump up and down, pump his fists in the air and if he only he knows how to pirouette, he'll want to do a couple of that too. In the back of his mind, it worries him that he isn’t following Kunimi’s list, but he has early classes tomorrow. Lunch is the next best choice and since he doesn't have classes after, he can probably gather enough courage to proper ask Suga out for a real weekend date. Then he can offer to show him around the area. Before he loses the nerve, he takes the phone out of his pocket with trembling hands and walks towards Suga. 

“Can I get your number?” he asks, and then realizes that it probably comes off as audacious so he immediately adds, “So I can text you for tomorrow…"

The two of them stand there, with Oikawa holding out his phone, while Suga looks at him blankly while hes holding on to a tray of muffins. 

“Uhm…” Suga laughs after a short while. “Yes, of course. I’ll give you my number, but… let me put this down first.” 

“Oh…” Oikawa scrambles forward to help him. “Sorry,” he says and he prays that Suga will not notice that he's probably blushing by now. Because that will be so lame; when did he became such a school girl.  _Stupid,_ he curses in his mind, _idiot!_  

Their fingers accidentally brush for a moment when he takes the tray from Suga. If this is indeed inside a Korean drama, there will be a flashback to when Oikawa first meets Suga just to give the viewers a sense on how far they had come. Those painfully embarrassing flashback with moonlight filters, plus, of course, the customary angel choir and blowing breeze and rose petals.

Suga gently takes the phone from his right hand and the skin to skin contact was more than a mere brushing of fingers. Oikawa thinks that he might actually pass out. 

When he gets his phone back, he doesn’t know that staring at a mere number combination can make him feel like he’s about to enter Nirvana. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Suga asks him when he remains standing, clutching his phone to his chest like the idiot that he is. 

Oikawa jolts back to the present and barely stops himself from nodding frantically. He bobs his head, feeling too embarrassed to reply, and heads for the exit. When he pushes the door open and he is about to get out, he doesn't resist the urge to look back. He turns around and finds Suga, still looking at his direction. The gods of courage must have smiled at him so he clears his throat and confidently speaks out. 

“It’s a date. See you tomorrow Suga- _san_!” Then he gets out, nearly running into the wall from the exhilaration, but not before seeing Suga’s surprised expression and then the shy smile lighting up his angelic face.

 

 **Epilogue:**  

Kunimi feels his irritation mounting when their store’s door opens and Oikawa comes out with a bright smile. 

“Don’t you think he’s too happy? He just asked him out to eat, for Christ’s sake,” Matsukawa comments in between a couple of yawns. 

“Let him be, at least he’s back to normal,” Iwaizumi answers him. “Though that's not an assuring thought,” he adds. 

Kunimi scowls when catches Kindaichi staring at him. 

“You look irritated,” his classmate tells him. 

“No, I’m not,” Kunimi answers, but his tone comes out as that of a sulking child. 

“Well, brother complex is a strange thing.” 

He hears Iwaizumi saying and Kunimi doesn't bother defending himself. Instead, chooses to narrow his eyes at Oikawa who steps in front of them, grinning like he just won the lottery.

“ _Ya-ho~_ ” Oikawa waves at them before starting to recount what happened. 

“I’m going home,” Kunimi interrupts Oikawa and he walks away without looking back. He's stomping as he roughly pushes the door open. Suga, who is busy pulling down the blinds on the windows, greets and welcomes him back cheerfully. Kunimi is momentarily distracted by the smile on his step-brother’s face. He knows Sugawara Koushi is a naturally bright person, but there’s something noticeably different about his smile tonight.

“ _Nii_ , you look happy.” 

Suga’s smile widens. “Oikawa-san dropped by just a little while ago. I'm not sure, but maybe you saw him?” 

Kunimi sets his school bag on top of the wooden chair behind the counter. He sighs and rolls his long sleeves so that he helps with closing the shop. “Is that so? I didn't meet anyone outside though," he answers, faking that he's interested.

Suga hums. “He asked me out for lunch.” 

His step-mother walks back in, giggling and clucking her tongue knowingly. She walks to Kunimi and pretends to whisper. “Well, isn’t he lucky, your brother? He got asked out by his crush.” 

“Mom! You were listening?” 

“I didn’t have to listen. I recognized him and besides, didn't you always hurry to the counter every time he comes in.” 

As Kunimi takes note of the blush on Suga’s cheeks, he sighs and thinks that he mightas well start trying to like this Oikawa. Anyone who can make _his_ brother smile like that must have something at least half decent about him. He volunteers to mop the floor while he listens to Koushi's protests as he keeps getting teased by their mother.He also tries to come up with a way to ask Kindaichi to spill Oikawa's deepest and darkest secrets so that he can use them against him in case his brother gets harmed. Matsukawa- _san_ seems to be the best one to ask regarding Oikawa's weakness, but he can also be scary so he'll have to settle with Kindaichi. 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> \- partly inspired by [this](https://www.buzzfeed.com/jul13hong/21-vital-elements-of-a-fun-super-addicting-korean-drama?utm_term=.aongBoL2P4#.likzd79xN5) post in buzzfeed  
> \- using their surnames most of the time since, well, I get easily confuse if I try to stick to first names and then there's the context of not using first names _that ___easily.
> 
> \- edited 10/2016 (i really need to find a proper beta) the number of errors... **(_ _)** and i'm not sure if i caught them all. also, i subtly added Hanamaki since i kind of forgot about him back then. **(_ _)**


End file.
